Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
LAſtly,Prerogatives and benefits of Self denyall. in the meditation of this we may behold and take notice of the happineſſe of their eſtate, of the ſweet and gracious frame of their ſoules who are able to deny themſelves and their owne affections, and proſtrate themſelves and all that is theirs under the feet of Jeſus Chriſt: Theſe men have a bleſſed liberty and freedome from the odious monſters of impiety, ſelf-ſeeking, ſelf-admiration, and ſelf-exaltation with many other evils: He hath ever moſt freedome from the power of corruption, whoſe heart is filled with the greateſt meaſure of ſelf-denyall. It is a very great bleſſing to be truly and throughly humble.
1 Full & comfort. He poſſeſſion of Chriſt.1. This works the ſoule of man to a very full and comfortable poſſeſſion and fruition of Chriſt▪ The more man is wrought out of himſelfe, the more he is wrought into Chriſt: The more man is emptied of himſelfe, the more he is filled with the fulneſſe of Chriſt: The more man is removed from himſelfe, the nearer he approacheth unto Chriſt: The more fully he participateth of Chriſt, the more ſweet and comfortable communion he hath with Chriſt: The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire, the wood and the Sacrifice. The heart of man which is humble, empty of all ſpirituall pride and ſelf-conceit, is moſt capable of the fire of the Spirit, and of Chriſt who offered himſelfe a Sacrifice for our ſinnes. The ſoule of the humble is Chriſts habitation; the veſſell which he filleth with his grace, and receives into a ſweet conſortſhip with himſelfe: For thus ſaith the rIſa. 17.15.high and the lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whoſe name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite Ones. God miniſters moſt ſpirituall conſolation to him that is moſt low and baſe in his owne eye, and apprehenſion.
2. Invincibleneſſe.2. This makes the ſoule of man moſt invincible. The low ſhrub endureth all the guſts, and blaſts of wind, abiding faſt rooted; No winds of trouble or temptation can over-throw the humble though they may a little ſhake him: The humble ſoule puts a ſPhil. 3.8.low price upon the world, the gaine of it doth not much affect him, the loſſe of it doth not much diſquiet him: He leanes not on himſelfe, or any other arme of fleſh, his whole t2 Cor 1.9.dependance is upon Chriſt; Chriſt is the uPhil. 4.13.ſtrength by which he ſtandeth, the light by which he walketh, the crowne and portion in which he rejoyceth, and nothing can ſeparate him from Chriſt: Satan hath leaſt opportunity to faſten a temptation upon him: The proffers of the world have no relliſh with him, the menaces of men raiſe no terrour in him; Chriſt is every way ſo compleat in his apprehenſion, that he accounts both the favour and the hatred of the world as nothing, being wGal. 6.14.crucified to the world, and the world alſo unto him. Bede relates a poeticall fiction of a man whom they called Terrae filius, who fought with a tyrant named Hercules. This Terrae filius when he was weary caſt himſelfe on the ground, and recovered his ſtrength, which Hercules perceiving lifted him up into the aire, and ſo overcame, and ſlew him. In like manner man fighting with Satan, humbling and abaſing himſelfe, abhorring himſelfe with Job below the duſt and aſhes, reneweth his ſtrength, and remaineth invincible; but Satan lifting him up, filling him with high and proud thoughts of his owne worth, prevailes againſt him, obtaines victory over him. Pride makes man a ſlave to Satan; humility makes man victorious over him. The meek (according to that of the Prophet) ſhall xIſa. 29 10.increaſe his ioy in the Lord. The ſoule which is truly humble drawes matter of conſolation out of all ſuffering, and from every eſtate and condition wherein the Lord ſets him.
3. This exceedingly indeares man unto God. 3. Endearemet of man to God.He that is leaſt in his owne eye is greateſt in the eſteeme of God: He is beſt beloved of God who is moſt out of love with himſelfe. The humble ſoule is moſt capable of ſpirituall inſtruction: The beſt ſcholler in Chriſts ſchoole; moſt obedient unto Gods precept, the beſt ſervant in Chriſts family; moſt fruitfull in every good worke, moſt apt to every good duty, the choiſeſt Tree in Gods Orchard; moſt ſincere and full in the intendment of Gods glory, the trueſt lover among all the friends of God; moſt thankefull for all bleſſings, the beſt receiver and improver of Gods mercies; moſt apprehenſive of Gods perfections; moſt affected with Gods goodneſſe, the greateſt admirer of Gods and Chriſts excellencies, and therefore moſt deare to God of all others. To yIſa. 66.2.this man (ſaith the Lord) will I looke, with the eyes of my love ſolacing and accepting him, with the eyes of my mercy pardoning and forgiving him; and with the eyes or my care and providence, ſweetning and diſpoſing all for good unto him: Even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my yIſa. 66.2.word. To him will I looke when he heareth my word, diſpenſing my grace into him; when he prayeth, returning a gracious anſwer to him; when he mourneth, putting all his teares into my bottle, comforting him; when he is in diſtreſſe, delivering him; and when he is in want, ſupplying him: God is very wonderfull in his gracious manifeſtations to ſoules filled with humility and meekneſſe, to men denying themſelves and their owne affections. The z1 Pet. 3.3.ornament of a meeke spirit is in the ſight of God a thing of great price; a contrite and a broken spirit God will not despiſe. Mans eſtimation with God is ſutable to his diſeſtimation of himſelfe.
4. This doth very wonderfully exalt a man. 4. Exaltation of man.He that is moſt humble is moſt honourable. Mans ſelf-denyall ever tends to his exaltation: It is Chriſts promiſe, he that aLuk. 14.11.humbleth himſelfe ſhall be exalted: The humble ſoule is the bIam 4 6.veſſell which God filleth with the wine of his choiſeſt grace, the Temple in which the Spirit of God dwelleth, the ſervant whoſe worke the Lord accepteth, the cPſal 10.17.Petitioner in whoſe prayer the King of mercies delighteth, the Favourite whom the King of Kings honoureth, the Spouſe whom the Prince of peace receiveth in wedlocke, and the friend to whom the dPſal. 25.9, 14.Secret of the Lord is imparted. God communicates great honour unto them, who for his honour are contented to abaſe themſelves in the eyes of men. David was content to appeare outwardly vile, yea e2 Sam. 6.22.more vile, that he might honour God, and God made him more honourable, confirming and ſtrengthening him in the kingdome. Moſes was the fNum 12.2.meekeſt man on earth, a man that had low thoughts of himſelfe, a man of ſingular perfection in the way and worke of ſelf-denyall,Heb. 11. refuſing all the honour of Egypt, and chuſing to endure affliction with Gods people: But God made him moſt honourable, called him up unto himſelfe in the Mount, and made him the leader of his people: It is good loſing for God, the incurment of diſhonour for God is recompenced with the greateſt honour from the hand of God:Mat. 3. The Baptiſt abaſed himſelfe very low to exalt Chriſt; he told the people that ſuch was Chriſts dignity, worth and excellency, that he was not worthy to ſtoop downe and untie the latchet of his ſhooe; and Chriſt very highly honoured him, telling the people, that there was not a greater borne of women then the Baptiſt. Man is ever ſo much the more precious in the eyes of Chriſt, by how much the more deſpicable he is in his owne, and other mens eyes for the love and cauſe of Chriſt. There is more honour in the humble mans ignominy, then in the proud mans pomp and glory: He that is gMat. 18.4.leaſt, through ſelf-denyall, holy abaſement, and unfained humiliation, ſhall be greateſt in Gods Kingdome; Greateſt in ſpirituall liberty and freedome, in the meaſure of Sanctification, in Gods account and acceptation, and in the degree of future glory communicated to him.
5. Sweet and bleſſed freedome.5. This miniſters a very ſweet and bleſſed freedome to the ſoule. He that is moſt humble is the choiſeſt Freeman in the world: Self-denyall is a very great and happy freedome: He that is moſt humble hath the greateſt meaſure of grace conferred on him, and whereſoever is moſt grace there is moſt freedome: Where the h2 Cor. 3.17.spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (ſaith the Apoſtle) The humble man is free from ignorance in his underſtanding, with the lowly there is iProv. 11.2. Pſal. 25.9.wiſedome (ſaith Solomon) and God doth guide the humble in iudgement (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) He that is moſt humble hath the moſt cleare and comfortable diſcerning of the myſteries of Gods Kingdome; He is free from perverſeneſſe and frowardneſſe in his will, to kRom. 7.18.will that which is good is preſent with him; ready at hand, his ſoule is very ſtrongly bent and inclined thereunto; as the rivers to flow downe the channell: Holy and religious duties ſuite with him, as the Sunne with the eye, and the path with the foot; he is free from much vanity in his thoughts, vaine thoughts doe not lodge with him; his thoughts of God are high and honourable, his thoughts of himſelfe are low and humble, his thoughts of Chriſt are ſweet and full of admiration, his thoughts of ſinne are ſorrowfull and full of deteſtation, his thoughts of the world are ſleight and contemptible, his thoughts of the word and worke of God are pleaſant and delightfull: He is free in his heart from obſtinacy and hardneſſe, his heart is ſoft and tender, trembling at the word of God: The Law of God is in his heart, and he delights to doe the will of God; he is free from baſe and ſervile feare, carnall confidence, and fleſhly ioy, and worldly love in his affections; he is free from impatience and murmurings in his afflictions, free from diſcontentment in his low and empty eſtate, free from high and exalting thoughts in his greateſt earthly fulneſſe, free from limiting and preſcribing unto God in his hardeſt conflicts and greateſt tryals, free from being daunted with the worlds threatenings, inticed with the worlds perſwaſions, corrupted with the worlds proffers, ſeduced by the worlds example, or intangled in the ſnares of Satan; very ſweet and comfortable, very pleaſant and delightfull is the humble mans freedome; all are ſlaves and bondmen in reſpect of them in whom God hath wrought the great and gracious work of Self-denyall.
….6. This makes men very peaceable. The meaſure of mans peace is according to the meaſure of mans humility and ſelf-denyall: The humble man doth not grieve, but rejoyceth at the proſperity of others, doth not hinder, but delighteth in the furtherance of other mens welfare; doth not willingly miniſter any off…ce, but patiently endureth injuries, puts the beſt interpretation upon things doubtfull; humility and ſelf-denyall, as the Apoſtle ſaith of Love, ſuffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not it ſelfe, is not puffed up, doth not behave it ſelfe unſeemely,, ſeeketh not it's owne, is not eaſily provoked thinketh no evill, reioyceth not in iniquity, but reioyceth in the truth, beareth all things, beleeveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Pride is the bellowes kindling the fire of contention, humility and ſelf denyall prevents ſtrife, and preſerves peace among men; there is no hope of his living in peace with any man, who is at variance with the humble. It is a rule among the Geometricians, Quod corpora Spherica quae quaſi tumi…a ſunt, non poſſunt ſe tangere niſi ſolo puncto, &c. that Sphericall or round bodies which are a ſwelling kind of bodies cannot touch one another, be applyed one to another, but onelyonly at the very point; but the hollow body can receive the round within it ſelfe. Thus pride diſſolves communion between man and man; Men are never at a ſweet agreement, where pride and ſelf-conceit reigneth; humility diſpoſeth, openeth, and prepareth the heart to the unfained embracement of others, to the patient toleration of other mens pride, injuſtice, and vaine boaſtings. The lIam. 3.17.wiſedome (ſaith S. James) which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits. The low ſhrub is little or nothing moved with the winds which ſhake and ſhatter many tall Cedars: The humble man is little or nothing d…ſquieted with the guſts and blaſts of oppoſition, loſſe and diſgrace, which doe even vexe, and utterly diſtract the man of a proud ſpirit: The ſoule which is ſpiritually and throughly humble, is an inhabitant reſiding in a very ſweet, and quiet dwelling, a ſhip rowing in a very calme and peaceable haven.
7. Fruitfulneſſe in all graces.7. This makes fruitfull in all gifts and graces: Like the low valleyes; cheerfull in every tryall and trouble, able to count it all ioy to fall into manifold temptations; Profitable under affliction, as the vine under the hand of the Pruner dreſſing it; capable of the word of God, as the broken ground of the ſeed, and the empty veſſell of water: Every word of God is a Star of ſome light, a flower of ſome comfortable ſmell, and a cloud of ſome refreſhment to the humble: This fils the ſoule with very cleare and ioyfull, high and honourable apprehenſions of God. He that hath the loweſt thoughts of himſelfe, hath the higheſt thoughts of God; This makes Chriſt very welcome, very amiable in the eye of the ſoule, the faireſt of ten thouſand: As the Sunne to him that is in darkeneſſe, as the river to him that thirſteth, or the Phyſitian to him that is extreamely pained, mans ſence of ſelf-emptineſſe, makes Chriſt very precious: This ſweetens the word of God as the famine ſweetens bread, and makes the meſſenger of God as an Angell of God, or one of a thouſand: This diſpoſeth man to every good duty; this makes the yoake of Chriſt eaſie, the ſervice of Chriſt pleaſant, and ſuffering for Chriſt comfortable: This makes the inward man very joyfull, when the outward man is loaden with much affliction, the whole man heavenly minded, graciouſly diſpoſed, holily exerciſed, abundantly thriving in all well-doing, and inceſſant in the way tending to the heavenly Kingdome. And thus you have ſeene the myſterie, the worth and dignitie, the fruit and excellencie of Selfe-denyall. Moſt ſweet and bleſſed is that mans Condition, who is truly humble, happy is the ſoule in which God hath wrought a through Self-denyall.